Assistant Professor of Soil Science

Dept. of Forestry, Fire, and Rangeland Management

Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata, California

Education

PhD, Earth Sciences, University of Oregon

BS, Environmental Science, Humboldt State University

Lecturer - Soil Science and Rangeland Resource Science

Research Assistant

Kai Zerbo (any pronouns) is an undergraduate student majoring in Rangeland Resource Science, with a concentration in Soils. They are also pursuing minors in Botany and Geospatial Analysis. Their interests include soils, ecology, community assembly, and sustainable agriculture production. In their personal time, Kai enjoys backpacking, art of all kinds, music, and hanging out with their dog. They hope to support students, tribal members, and non-profit organizations with their research. Their favorite plant is California phacelia, or Phacelia californica.

Derek Tremaine is a Cal Poly Humboldt undergraduate majoring in Forestry and Soils.  He grew up on a small family-owned raspberry farm in Lynden, WA, and managed the business for a decade before moving to Humboldt County to pursue an education and career in natural resource conservation.  His interests include soils, geology, and the intersection of rangeland and forest ecosystems. Outside of work and school, he enjoys backpacking, photography, and songwriting. levant and actionable recommendations to student, tribal, and non-profit organizations through their research.

Nicholas is an undergraduate student majoring in Rangeland Resource Science and Wildland Soils and minoring in Native American Studies. Born and raised in the redwood forest of Humboldt County, he has built a strong connection to nature and a passion for sustainable land management. After a few years of traveling and working abroad, he returned to study in Humboldt to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the functioning of natural systems and how people interact with them. Outside of school, you can find Nick cooking, hiking, or paddling around in his canoe.